New dining options (flex dining) effective October 1, 2019

[dande]

Taking the Meteor tomorrow and got the new dining email so I assume that is what we will be getting?? Bummer

 

[pennyk]

Taking the Meteor tomorrow and got the new dining email so I assume that is what we will be getting?? Bummer

Yes, you will have flex dining tomorrow.

 

[Tirnipgreen]

I consider the Cafe car an option. My problem with it is it isn't open at all times. I got on in Gainesvile, GA the other night at 11:01 pm (2 hours late). I rushed to the Cafe car only to be told that it closed at 11:00...! I assume the employee lives in Greenville or Spartanburg or Gastonia, as they would normally be working until 11:00 and if the train had been on schedule, they would have to be on the train until then. I have to also assume that when the train is late, they are still being paid...probably overtime. So why not keep the Cafe car open for those who might be a little hungry after waiting 2 hours for the train to arrive...? I still wonder if something more than a hot dog or snacks will be available for those Coach passengers on the Crescent...with respect to the elimination of the Diner.

 

[railbuck]

Cafe attendants, like the rest of the OBS crew, ride the entire route. They do not get off the train at an intermediate stop and go home; they have a roomette to sleep in. Keep in mind that they started in New Orleans before 7 (it sounds like you were riding the Crescent northbound), so by the time you boarded they had been on duty for 16 hours with a few short breaks, and would need to open the cafe again in the morning. Longer hours would be more customer friendly, but not so good for the employees.

 

[pennyk]

I still wonder if something more than a hot dog or snacks will be available for those Coach passengers on the Crescent...with respect to the elimination of the Diner.

Coach passengers will have access to the cafe car, which sells more than hot dogs and snacks. The cafe car sells burgers, pizza, sandwiches, cheese trays, breakfast sandwiches in addition to hot dogs and snacks.

 

[Rail Freak]

I just completed my trip to LAX & back from Tampa. This time, I took a plane Tampa to CHI, then CHI-TPA return. All because of this. As a side note: Tried the chicken breast on the Texas Eagle & the SWC. Both times it was dry & tough! ( So I guess I'll bitch when I cant get meals in a Diner & I'll bitch when I do,LOL)

 

[ClickClack]

Got back on the rails this past weekend after a long break. In the past, rode all western trains and had full dinner service and just loved it. Steak and that chocolate volcano was a favorite. Was introduced to the new Flex Dining on the LSL westbound and yes, there is a huge difference in many ways. I love traditional dining and I’m a BB with two millennial kids who loved it as well, but Flex was ok. The food tasted good and well seasoned. Me, I do eat anything, but my wife who is very picky, thought it was good also. We were served in the new diner car which was beautifully decorated. I loved the larger tables a LOT better than the cafe car’s who’s tables squeeze my stomach into my back so that the food stops half way down. We could eat anytime during the time window that meal was being served with no reservations locking us in. Now, I really feel bad that traditional is gone, wish people hadn’t lost their jobs, seriously wish no one not ride because of this and fear that further reduction of riders will cause more changes. It’s not like it was, but I love the rails so much, I can live with it for now. But if the food gets worse, I may be able to comfortably sit at the cafe seats.

 

[PRR 60]

The Flexible Dining options are now shown on Amtrak Food Facts.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Still no mention of hard boiled eggs. Guess they stopped offering that.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Oof...

^ This honestly looks just like a generic coach class airline meal kit rather than any sort of premium cabin entree.

 

[Ronbo]

Wow , Red Wine Braised Beef! ...2340mg of sodium, or 102% DV! In one meal! Yikes!

 

[dande]

Cheese omelette might be okay. I did not see that on the email we got. It listed a sausage egg MeMuffin as the only hot item

 

[pennyk]

Cheese omelette might be okay. I did not see that on the email we got. It listed a sausage egg MeMuffin as the only hot item

Cheese omelet is the kosher option, that needs to be ordered in advance.

 

[dande]

Guess I'm still bringing some donuts

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Looking at the picture above (post 835), the cheese omelet looks like it will taste like rubber when heated, with something that looks like tater tots as the potatoes, and--really--ratatouille with breakfast? And you have to order the darn thing ahead of time or get stuck with the even worse looking continental? Are they nuts?

(Remind me again--how close is Lou Mitchells to the Chicago Amtrak station? 'Cause that is where I'll be heading for breakfast next time I take the train there.) Same with anywhere else--the dinner meals are bad enough, but the breakfast is a disgrace and an insult to the passengers. Anyone in the most basic South Jersey diner could throw something together 20 times better than that--even if they packaged it and sent it on board to be reheated.

 

[Bob Dylan]

View attachment 15062 Wow , Red Wine Braised Beef! ...2340mg of sodium, or 102% DV! In one meal! Yikes!

 

[pennyk]

Guess I'm still bringing some donuts

@dande, if you are able to do so, and it is not too much trouble, can you take a photograph of the ingredients (if available) of the noodle bowl and ask the LSA if it is possible to get the noodles without the sauce. I have food allergies and it may be possible to eat the noodles without the sauce. If not, then I probably will not be able to eat any of the new meals. It would be helpful to know in advance before I board the Meteor in a few days. Thank you <3

 

[Shortline]

Am in Chicago for a meeting, was supposed to fly home tomorrow night, but on a whim, decided to take the train back home to Alabama and booked a bedroom on the Capitol Limited and Crescent.

Honestly not too broken up over Eastern train dining, I rarely used the diner other than for breakfast. Most of it was mediocre at best anyway. I’ll just do what I usually do, eat an earlier dinner in Chicago, will see how the breakfast is now (I will kinda miss the pancakes, French toast etc) eat a late lunch/early dinner in DC at The Dubliner, along with a few (or more) pints. Again, will be whatever passes for breakfast now. But pretty sure I’ll survive.

Now, when I travel out West and am captive for 2+ days.......that would suck, because these new meals look even worse than the crap they used to pass off as “dining” guess we’ll se where this goes.

 

[tim49424]

Now, when I travel out West and am captive for 2+ days.......that would suck, because these new meals look even worse than the crap they used to pass off as “dining” guess we’ll se where this goes.

Fortunately that’s not happening yet out west.

 

[mwmnp]

What's the deal with the very high amount of Vitamin A in the four main entrees? In the US, the tolerable upper intake level of Vitamin A is set to 333% of the daily value. The Asian noodle bowl is well above that and the red wine braised beef comes close.

 

[bms]

Unless millennials are nostalgic for school lunches in the '90s, the meals in those photos won't appeal to my generation.

 

[Palmland]

I suspect the braised beef dinner would be somewhat healthier without the ‘specialty desert’. I can’t understand why prepared meals have so much salt. If it’s too bland just add some of your wine!

 

[PVD]

Prepared foods and fast foods are quite often very high in sodium. Anyone who regularly reads nutrition labels would not be surprised. The sinister part of it is how many foods are chock full of sodium, even though there is no hint of it in the taste....I enjoyed my traditional diner visits, but I don't think they were much better on the nutrition scale. One plus is the flexible times rather than reservation, a concept that has become increasingly popular on cruise ships.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Read a review this morning on FB. The horror! They liked everything about the dinner!
Granted, they were on the CONO. [emoji848]

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

“Remind me again--how close is Lou Mitchells to the Chicago Amtrak station? 'Cause that is where I'll be heading for breakfast next time I take the train there.) “


Took the Zypher home on Sunday Chi-GBB no meal served so we got a pizza across the street from Union Station at Beggars Pizza and brought it onboard. Highly recommend the deep dish on par with Giordono’s or Lou Malnoti’s literally right across the street on Clinton Street.

The only nice thing about the Flex dining is the free drinks are back. Had our pizza in the SSL but had to pay 6 bucks for sodas. We usually take the SWC that leaves 40 mins later and includes dinner.